March 7, 2018

Paragliding over the Hills and Monasteries of Bir Billing

It was a bumpy drive up from Bir to Billing traversing through
the pine and oak forests. The 14 Kms stretch took more than half an hour and as
we ascended, the excitement grew within me. We had driven all the way to
Billing to fly down to Bir. Though I had done paragliding earlier in Naukuchiatal,
Bir Billing is one of the prominent spots for this adventure in India and that
made it all the more exciting.

Inder from Himtantra, who has been paragliding for more than
10 years, was my pilot for the glide. He also conducts classes for basic,
intermediate and advanced courses in paragliding. While Inder was busy getting
the parachute and harness ready, I gazed at the numerous paragliders who were
either up in the air or getting ready for their flight. They were in large
numbers and the colourful parachutes made them seem like tiny birds up in the
air. They glided for long balancing themselves in mid air before landing at
Bir.

Inder called out and soon I was buckled onto him and was
ready to take the instructions. ‘Do not run, just take a few steps’, was all
that he told me as he tried to get the parachute up. He repeated the line again
and I nodded. Before he could say that a third time, I remember taking two
steps and in less than 5 seconds, I couldn't feel the ground beneath me. We too had joined the colourful birds up in
the sky. Just relax and enjoy the experience said Inder, as we swayed over 9000
feet high to the tunes of the wind. It was a twenty minute ride with a lungful
of fresh air and amazing view of the landscapes. The town of Bir and its
monasteries seemed like a tiny speck as we glided over them. We smoothly landed
on the open ground at Bir in less than half the time taken to drive up. Apart
from paragliding, Himtantra also organizes camping, trekking and a few other
adventure activities around Bir.

The town of Bir and the surrounding villages have Buddhist settlements
and are known for its monasteries and Tibetan restaurants. While Palyul
Cheotherling monastery is located in Bir, a short ride away is Palpung
Sherabling monastery spread over a hill with its temples, chortens and
institutions. Another popular monastery here is Tashijong Khampgar monastery which
follows Kagyu sect of Buddhism.

Bir is located in Himachal Pradesh and is 72 Kms from
Mcleodganj via Palampur. It is recommended to hire taxis or have your own
vehicle to reach Bir and to travel to the monasteries. Though there are buses from
Dharamshala to Bir, they aren’t frequent.

Food and Accommodation:

Bir has a few cafes and restaurants which serve both Indian
and Tibetan fare. There are a few guest houses in Bir town and a couple of
camping sites too.